Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Have you thanked a veteran yet today?  If not, please think of the meaning of the day, the history, and do so.  I would like to share with you the following from William J. Federer's American Minute:

American Minute for November 11th:

The 11th hour of the 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH of 1918, World War I ended. Though the Armistice was signed at 5:00 AM, fighting continued till 11:00 AM, killing nearly 11,000 more men.

In 1921, President Warren Harding had the remains of an unknown soldier killed in France buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Inscribed on the Tomb are the words: "Here lies in honored glory an American soldier know but to God."

Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all U.S. Veterans. In 1958, President Eisenhower placed soldiers in the tomb from WWII and the Korean War. The soldier from Vietnam, buried by President Reagan in 1984, was identified by DNA tests as pilot Michael Blassie and was reburied in 1998 at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

On NOVEMBER 11, 1921, President Harding stated: "On the threshold of eternity, many a soldier, I can well believe, wondered how his ebbing blood would color the stream of human life, flowing on after his sacrifice...I can sense the prayers of our people...Let me join in that prayer. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come..."

I am proud to come from a long history of service to our country and our people.  While I myself did not join the military, my grandfather, my father and my brother-in-law were all career soldiers, as were several dear friends.  I am so very proud of them, and thankful for the sacrifices they made for our proud nation.  We are truly the land of the free, because of the brave - men and women who have fought so hard to protect the rights we have been given.  We should never take that freedom for granted, or forget those who died to preserve that freedom.